Mr. Phillip Heishman Prisoner of War Story

HEISHMAN

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 12/4/2011 at 19:07:04

It has been asserted by Jefferson Davis and his apologists, when confronted with the horrors and cruelties of Andersonville and Libby, to excuse and condone their crimes and cruelties by trying to falsify history by saying that southern prisoners of war were sometimes treated no better than northern prisoners were in the southern prisons. Mr. Heishman was take prisoner at the battle Winchester, Virginia, Janaury 3d, 1864, while under command of Brig. Geo. Boudin, of Gen. Early's division; was taken to Camp Chase, Ohio, where he was confined two months. He was afterwards removed to Fort Delaware, on the Delaware River, where he was confined sixteen months. In reply to the question "did you receive good treatment all the time?" Mr.Heishman said "he did and was well fed and clothed all the time, with the exception of a short time the guards put them on short rations because they had tunneled under the barracks to make their escape, in which they were discovered, and through which they would have made their escape inside of twenty-four hours. The guards, as a punishment for their breach of discipline, put them on short rations for several weeks." He said the aim of the federal authorities was in all cases to treat their prisoners of war to the same food and clothing as they did their own soldiers. He said the most uncongenial part of his prison life was the confinement; he said there were lots of the sons of the wealthy planters of the south who simply died in prison from homesickness; laid down and fretted and pined their life away. He said he kept as busy as he could, sometimes washing shirts and clothing for the sons of the weathly planters, whose parents sent them money, clothing, food, tobacco, etc. In this way he made a little money which he sent to his wife and child; sometimes his heart would get into his throat when he got to thinking about the woman and the child he loved, and then he would go to work and make watch chains, pocket knives, and other ornaments which he sold to the *sutlers.

In this way he managed to keep busy. Mr. Heishman showed specimens of his craft to the boys on the day of the reunion, they were artistic and beautiful and showed good taste and finish. Mr. Heishmans said as long as memory lasts he will never forget the joy and gladness of the day when he was pardoned and he walked out of Fort Delaware a free man. He came to Iowa in 1877, is now owner of 480 acres of good land in Sheridan township, and a man and a citizen whom everybody delights to honor. Some one put the question to us: "Is he loyal?" Yes, my friend, every drop of blood in his veins is loyal to his country and his flag, and we ain't afraid to stake our life on it either.--W.T. Haynes, in Tama Free Press.

Transcriber Note: *sutler is petty tradesman; a person who follows an army and sells food, liquor, etc to the soldiers. Source: The Winston Dictionary; publ. 1946